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International Women's Day is marked on March 8 every year. Women across canada are as diverse as the communities they live in. This year's theme for International Women's Day and International Women's week celebrates women's roles in the economic prosperity of rural, remote and Northern regions. Canada covers a total area 9,984,670 square kilometres. It is home to 17.4 million women and girls and contains more than 5,400 communities- approximately 5,200 of which are rural, remote or Northern.


International women's Day in character, to honour the movement for women's right and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three wome to the Finnish parliament. In many countries, International Women's Day is an occasion to honor and praise women for their accomplishments. In 2012, Oxfarm America is inviting people to celebrate inspiring women in their lives by sending a free International Women's Day e-Card or honoring a women whose efforts make a difference on the fight against hunger and poverty with Oxfam's International Women's Day award.


In rural and remote areas, women make up about half of the labour force, but significant gaps still exist between women and men in labour force participation rates, employment rates and income. These trends are more pronounced for Aboriginal women, who make up a large part of the rural, remote and Northern population. Women and girls are contributing to economic growth in these regions through business networks and job training. International Women's Day has been celebrated for more than 100 years. In that time progress has been made in advancing equality for women, and we recognize the important role that women continue to play in the growth of Canada's diverse communities.